Posted by Clare on 08/26/00 from 62.24.139.43 via proxy webcache-1.opaltelecom.net:
In Reply to: Re: Picts and Martyrs - oddities index posted by Mike Field on August 15, 2000 at 12:42:46:
Dear all,
The best place to find out about household management of that time is, as already mentioned,in a Mrs Beeton's book, as apparently few households were without one. My Mum's got one and it really is an amusing read.
It gives very firm GA like advise on the daily and seasonal routines a 'careful' housewife should follow, ranging from making sure your doorstep and front door is clean and welcoming early each morning, to removing cod-liver oil stains. I guess Delia Smith is the equvilient in cooking terms today. It even gives recommended wage ranges for servents!
It also shows in (rather horrific) graphic detail how to butcher meat, including skinning a rabit. Our book, a modern edition, comes with a really gross illustrated plate of this particular process! And yes you do get dark flappy bits inside them.
Another intriguing feature is the recomended weekly diet, I always put the volume of food, particularly proteins eaten in the books as the need to fuel growing young bodies, but its seems more widespread than that.
Beeeton syas EVERY meal, be it breakfast, lunch or supper MUST contain at least one of, meat, cheese, fish or eggs, and the reccomended diet puts Beef on the menu at least three times a week. Whilst recommended breakfasts include mince meat on toast!? Cholestral heaven!
Perhaps I'm just too young to remember the time before the BSE scare etc etc. to remember how meat orientated British cooking was.
Anyway, its really interesting reading everyones post, as its my frst time on this board,
Best Wishes,
Clare.
PS. My MuM used to have Sago pudding at boarding school as late as the 50s, but she actually used to love the foul stuff and was Christianed by her fellow students the 'Sago Queen'!